Four service members have been killed and dozens seriously injured after a major fire swept through one of Canada’s largest military bases in Wainwright, Alberta, Prime Minister Mark Carney has said. CNN reported that Carney announced the deaths on Sunday, describing the blaze at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright as one…...
Four service members have been killed and dozens seriously injured after a major fire swept through one of Canada’s largest military bases in Wainwright, Alberta, Prime Minister Mark Carney has said.
CNN reported that Carney announced the deaths on Sunday, describing the blaze at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright as one of the worst peacetime tragedies to affect the country’s armed forces.
“Yesterday afternoon, a violent, fast-moving fire swept through Canadian Armed Forces Base in Wainwright, Alberta,” Carney said at a press conference. “What followed was one of the worst tragedies for the forces on Canadian soil in peacetime.”
The prime minister said the families of the four deceased personnel had been notified, while officials at the scene were expected to provide a detailed account of the incident later on Sunday.
“The nation is in mourning for those brave members of our armed forces whom we have lost,” Carney said, adding that he had ordered flags on federal buildings to be flown at half-mast in their honour.
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The Canadian Armed Forces said the fire started in the base’s training area on Saturday afternoon before spreading rapidly beyond its boundaries. The cause of the blaze remained unclear as authorities continued their response.
However, an official at Canada’s Department of National Defence told CBC that there was no indication that the incident was terrorism-related.
The municipal district of Wainwright said strong winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire in a Facebook post on Saturday evening. The local Royal Canadian Mounted Police said a call for assistance was received at about 4 p.m.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith thanked emergency responders from Alberta and neighbouring Saskatchewan for their efforts in tackling the blaze and assisting those affected.
“In the days ahead, our thoughts will remain with everyone affected by this tragedy,” Smith wrote on social media. “Alberta stands with the Canadian Armed Forces, the people of Wainwright and all those grieving during this difficult time.”
Canada’s Defence Minister, David McGuinty, also confirmed that the incident had resulted in fatalities and injuries, although authorities had yet to provide a complete account of what happened.
“The Canadian Armed Forces, the federal government, provincial and local authorities” were working together “to mobilize all necessary support, and working through the details of what actually occurred,” McGuinty said in a video statement.
Late on Saturday, the municipal district said the fire was being held, although crews would continue monitoring the affected area.
The incident triggered significant pressure on healthcare services in the region, with a code orange declared in Edmonton to prepare for a high number of patients, according to CBC.
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Dr Warren Thirsk, an emergency department physician at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, described the situation as an exceptionally rare disaster.
“It’s a one in every 15 to 25-year disaster,” he said, adding that healthcare centres in Wainwright had been “completely overwhelmed”. Patients were subsequently being redirected to hospitals across Edmonton.
Bruce Pugh, mayor of the neighbouring community of Wainwright, said the fire had crossed the military base’s perimeter fence but was brought under control by firefighting teams.
He said the incident would have a profound effect on the local community because of the close ties between residents and military personnel stationed at the base.
“We have neighbors who are either serving or former members of the Canadian Armed Forces. We’re integrated, our kids playing the same hockey teams, attend the same schools,” Pugh told CBC.
He added that residents were also concerned about friends and neighbours working at the local hospital, which was dealing with the consequences of the incident.
Despite the scale of the emergency, authorities had not issued an evacuation order. Residents were instead instructed to stay away from the affected area, keep roads clear for emergency services and avoid visiting the Wainwright Health Center unless they required critical medical attention.
McGuinty said he could not recall an incident of similar magnitude in his time as defence minister.
“I cannot recall such an incident in my short time for sure as a minister … I cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory,” he said in response to a journalist’s question.
Meanwhile, Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he had spoken with Carney and McGuinty about the fire. He thanked emergency responders and urged the public to remember the affected community.
“Pray for Wainwright, everyone,” Poilievre wrote.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is located about 210 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial capital. The installation houses the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre and the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, and serves as a training facility for army field force units based in Edmonton.
Authorities were continuing to assess the incident, while the federal government, the military and provincial and local agencies coordinated support for those injured and the families of the deceased.